Its going ok, last weekend it leaked 8 times but we are getting the hang of it. I think dansac is the name of the company?

Yes, Dansac is one of the commonly used brands.

If you continue to get leaks without any reason, it is worth trying kit from other manufacturers. Things like different adhesives, slightly different shapes, etc. suit one person but don't suit another.

Just ring the suppliers in the UK (the contact details are at the beginning of this Stoma Subforum). They are all happy to send you samples and most of the people who answer the telephone are very knowledgeable - some are ostomates themselves.

I use Coloplast myself.

__________________
Crohn's Disease - symptoms since c1955, diagnosed early 1970s. On Prednisolone until...
Total Proctocolectomy in 2000.
Ileostomy that behaves most of the time
Currently on no medications, but under constant gaze of very caring GP, with annual blood and other tests.

If you continue to get leaks without any reason, it is worth trying kit from other manufacturers. Things like different adhesives, slightly different shapes, etc. suit one person but don't suit another.

Just ring the suppliers in the UK (the contact details are at the beginning of this Stoma Subforum). They are all happy to send you samples and most of the people who answer the telephone are very knowledgeable - some are ostomates themselves.

I use Coloplast myself.

I agree with this - everyone's very helpful. My suppliers also have an emotional support team, who rang me a couple of weeks after I arrived home to let me know I could call them any time for support, advice on diet, etc. They specifically asked me whether I was having any leaks or skin problems.
Also my stoma nurses made the first few orders for me, so you may not have to ring the company yourself at this stage, you can probably ask your stoma nurse to order you some other products to try.

My stoma nurse has a cupboard full of samples that she will let you try out if you go to her with problems. I must admit that I haven't been to see her for some years now, even though they do recommend that you go regularly.

Do you have any idea why you are getting leaks? Are they very localized? Always in the same spot? or more general? I have a retracted stoma, so need a deep convexity base plate, and a little valley running outward from it, so use Brava strip paste to fill that in. Do you warm your skin and/or your base plate to make the adhesive more effective?

If you can think of anything that seems to be common to your incidents of leaking, someone on here might be able to help.

I am also surprised by the number of leaks you're getting. I know I'm unusual in not getting many at all (one so far), but there must be something specific to cause this many. I've been told a few factors that can affect the likelihood of getting leaks, but I'm sure you and your stoma nurses would have thought of these already:

The stoma nurses told me that I was an ideal candidate in a few ways concerning body shape: I have a flat stomach, they said that "beer bellies" or stomachs with rolls of fat are much harder to stick bags to. Also if you are fat it's harder for them to put the stoma in the best spot, as they can't get such a clear idea of where the muscles are (I hope this doesn't sound insulting - I just wanted to point out that body shape can be a factor). If body shape is an issue there may not be so much you can do about the leaks. Unless maybe your abdomen is very swollen from the surgery? A lot of air tends to get trapped inside during surgery.

Leaving the bag to get too full, or full of air can increase the chance of leaking. Going to long without changing the bag can mean the adhesive is less strong after several days... but clearly this isn't your problem as you're having it changed all the time.

Did the surgeon place the stoma site correctly, or perhaps there were problems with the bowel that made it difficult to get the placing right?

I'm assuming that at first the stoma nurse cut the bags for you? Maybe they're not cut to the right size for your stoma? Also your stoma can change size quite quickly at the beginning; if the template was cut in the days immediately following your surgery, is it possible your stoma's changed size already?

Is there a particular time the leaks occur? E.g if they happen when you sleep could it be you're rolling over onto the bag?

Btw I use Coloplast, so if you do switch I can say that their products work very well for me.

I think its down to technique, some bags last and some don't, I also think my shape affects it, but opposite to what you were saying. I am very skinny and my hip bones really get in the way and make getting the flange on awkward. Nurses say if I put on weight it will get easier.

I think its down to technique, some bags last and some don't, I also think my shape affects it, but opposite to what you were saying. I am very skinny and my hip bones really get in the way and make getting the flange on awkward. Nurses say if I put on weight it will get easier.

It sounds like your stoma must be situated differently than mine, mine is above my hip bone - with the bag on, the adhesive part is just above where my right hip bone sticks out, but it's further in toward my belly button so even if it were lower it would be next to my hip bone rather than on it.

NGNG has a good point. Some of the flanges are much stiffer than others; my Coloplast is quite pliable. Another alternative might be to cut the flange to shape around your hipbone (until you put on a bit of weight ) and secure it firmly on that side with some tape, which will be more flexible.

It's really a matter of trial and error, as what works for one person often does not work for someone else, but don't accept that anything other than the occasional leak is inevitable.

Yeah I think we are getting the hang of it. We had to change the bag last night but it was a bad time and she was outputting a lot, so I threw the flange on and I was so focussed on getting the bag on I forgot to press down the flange sides and it just went underneath -_- had to start again. Stupid mistake. This one lasted the night though and still seems fine.

Ugh I jinxed myself by saying I don't have leaks much anymore. Sure enough a few hours later I wake up with burning skin.

I am so sick of this, every time I cut it, it's a pain since my stoma is oval and swells a lot. I feel like I never get a good seal. I either cut too much opening or make it too tight. God I want a reversal! Sorry bit of an am rant.

Ugh I jinxed myself by saying I don't have leaks much anymore. Sure enough a few hours later I wake up with burning skin.

I am so sick of this, every time I cut it, it's a pain since my stoma is oval and swells a lot. I feel like I never get a good seal. I either cut too much opening or make it too tight. God I want a reversal! Sorry bit of an am rant.

Sorry if this was asked already, but have you tried a moldable wafer? It's designed to fit around the summa stoma and "turtleneck" it so there are no leaks. Even something like the Eakin rings could help:

Have you tried the Brava stick paste with your Coloplast? (it is different from paste in a tube.) My stoma is an odd shape and cutting the flange to match it is nearly impossible. Putting the stick paste around the stoma before putting the bag on is the only thing that has saved my skin. The stick paste swells up around the stoma and really gives a great seal.

You break off whatever size you need, flatten it out with your fingers, and then put it all around the base of the stoma. Then just put the baseplate directly on that, no additional ring. I use half of a stick for mine each time.

Does the size/shape of the flange really factor that much into leaks? My stoma is a lopsided oval, and also a mushroom shape (wider at the top than at the bottom). I recently tried cutting some of my own (stoma nurses had always done it before) and wasn't particularly careful about the size and shape but they've not leaked (yet).

If you don't get close to the stoma shape, you will have gaps of uncovered skin around the stoma that can be easily harmed by output. Some people have success with stoma paste to fill in the gaps, but the paste didn't work for me. Brava Strip Paste is wonderful with my set-up.

I recommend the strip paste as well...I found the paste in the tube very messy and it never went where I wanted it to. I find I can use 1/5 of a strip and fill in where I need it (I only use it on the side where my opening is...yes, my stoma is crooked...lol).

Ive actually just ordered a free sample of the strip paste, I'll let you know what I think of it when it comes. Also I know you have changed subjects but I had to share something.

Just had my first scary stoma experience, nope nothing went horribly wrong, don't worry. I went and emptied my bag, and saw, actual pieces of bacon. No joke. I obviously needed to chew it more but I never expected that. I thought id see little chunks of food and maybe with veg, bigger chunks but like it was 6 full cm of bacon, whole. I thought stomachs were meant to blend food! It scared me omg!

To be honest, at the moment I'm laughing as its hilarious but wow just an unexpected scare. Ha ha.

SOOOO many times I've had something come out and then spent 20 minutes trying to figure out where it came from (what the heck did I eat?!?). I think seeing mushrooms is the most interesting. It doesn't seem to matter how much you chew them, they still manage to come out in one piece.

Oh, and corn.....too funny!!!! I call it birthing corn. I can push just above the stoma and force it out. Hahaha!! Looks the same coming out as it does going in.